According to a recent report by The Daily Mail, Premier League giants Manchester United are said to be targeting a cut-price deal for Kalidou Koulibaly, who could be on the verge of an exit from Napoli, following the drama that seems to be unfolding in Naples. The Neapolitan club has always been a relatively close-knit group of players, but a falling out between the players and the club’s management has caused a significant rift.
Its has been suggested that Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis is only left with two options on the wake of everything that has gone down – either sell the club or sell all the high-profile players that he has fallen out with. Some of the Napoli stars are said to have gone on strike, following some tension within the club. Although no official statement has been made on this regard, it’ll be interesting to see what kind of team Napoli can conjure up for their Serie A game next weekend.
What Defensive Issues Do Manchester United Need To Address?
Over the last many years, it can be argued that the quality of football being played by Manchester United has been dropping consistently. After the departures of Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand all those years ago, United are yet to find proper replacements, who can deliver consistently. Until last season, Victor Lindelof was the only defender in the United side who displayed any kind of conviction while out on the pitch.
Having recently acquired Harry Maguire on a big-money deal as well, this could be the right time for United to approach and lure Koulibaly to England. The Senegalese international’s presence would be a massive motivational boost to the rest of the United side because even with Maguire operating out of the heart of the defence, they haven’t necessarily looked all that secure.
What Would Kalidou Koulibaly Add To This Manchester United Setup?
The Senegalese international centre-half has consistently been the subject of a lot of transfer speculation over the last couple of years but has powered on at Napoli despite all the interest from abroad. The fact that Manchester United, Manchester City and Barcelona are all chasing the defender’s signature, highlights just how good he actually is. For all we know, he could form a deadly defensive partnership with Harry Maguire, effectively making United impenetrable next season.
The 28-year-old is an absolute monster in the air and is comfortable dealing with set-pieces all on his own. The centre-half boasts a great leap in either box, making him a threat on opposing defences as well. Despite having played in Italy for most of his career now, the Senegalese international knows how to use his physicality without giving away silly free-kicks – a trait that will be vital for him in the Premier League.
Will Manchester United Benefit From Signing Kalidou Koulibaly?
Although life under the guidance of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer started on the right foot midway through last season, United have faltered quite drastically in recent months, even succumbing to embarrassing defeats against relatively ‘smaller’ opposition. The defending has improved this year but is still far from faultless. The addition of a mature and robust centre-half like Koulibaly would go a long way in ending United’s woes in front of David De Gea’s goal.
